The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has proposed N126b allocation. This is coming after it rejected N40b earmarked for it as 2025 budget estimate.
The rejection of the N40b yearly budget envelope for the electoral body was made by its Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu to the joint committee during the budget defence session.
The INEC chairman during his presentation before the joint committee chaired by Senator Sarafadeen Alli (APC Oyo South) stated that elections in Nigeria have become a huge burden requiring adequate funding.
“Our proposal for the 2025 budget, the provision requires the sum of over N126 billion.
In his words; “We have the document that has provided details line by line on how we intended to spend the 126 billion.
“We would like the support of the National Assembly to enable us to achieve our responsibilities in the first line charge and most of these responsibilities are constitutional.
“In a nutshell, the N40billion budget envelope given to us for 2025 will not cover 1/3 of projected expenses which totally amounts to over N126billion.
“Aside from the off-cycle elections for 21 constituencies to be filled through bye-elections and the Anambra Governorship election this year, personnel cost alone on account of the new minimum wage will eat up the N40billion budgetary envelope”, he said.
He went ahead to say tha,t the inadequacy of the N40billion budget envelope made the electoral body to get intervention funds of N10.5billion for Edo and Ondo elections in 2024 and another N500million for bye-elections on affected constituencies in 2024.
However, convinced by the proposal of INEC, members of the joint committee one after the other assured the electoral body that the proposed sum shall be appropriated for in the 2025 budget.
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